The Prank of the Good Little Virgin of Via Ormea

Description

When a 15-year-old girl accuses two young Roma of rape, the multi-ethnic Turinese quarter erupts in violent reprisals. The Roma encampment is set alight, a woman and her child are seriously hurt. When rumours of a hoax start flying, it's down to crime reporter Enzo Lagana' to try and shed light on the events. Did the rape really take place? Who is the woman caught in the fire and why was she there? And also, who is the worst criminal, the pickpocket or the banker? Equal parts farce and whodunnit, Lakhous' new novel is an exploration of identity in today's multicultural societies.

Amara Lakhous was born in Algiers in 1970. He has a degree in philosophy from the University of Algiers and another in cultural anthropology from the University la Sapienza, Rome. Clash of Civilizations Over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio (Europa Editions, 2008) was awarded Italy's prestigious Flaiano Prize. He is also the author of Divorce Islamic Style and Dispute Over a Very Italian Piglet. Antony Shugaar is the author of I Lie for a Living and Latitude Zero: Tales of the Equator. For Europa Editions he has translated among others novels by Massimo Carlotto, Stefano Benni, Domenico Starnone, and Carmine Abate.

Praise for Amara Lakhous French and British literatures have long been enriched by the biculturalism of authors like Tahar Ben Jelloun, Amin Maalouf, Gaitam Malkani, and Monica Ali. With talented new writers like Lakhous, Italy is closing the gap. --The New York Times As a novelist of culture clash, Lakhous has the faculty to maintain colorful voices with the luxury of introducing political themes as instantiations of character. --Bookforum